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Mjolnir
Mjolnir, also spelled Mjollnir, is a unique legendary warhammer wielded by Thor, god of the Norse pantheon. It is one of the most destructive forces in the known multiverse. Appearance Mjolnir is a warhammer weighing no less than 2 tons. Its handle is shorter than normal. Properties Powers Mjolnir is a warhammer of supreme magical enchantment which possesses numerous special properties. If thrown, it travels twice as far as a normal warhammer, and automatically returns to its wielder. In Thor's hands, he can throw it at any creature he can see, which extends to a distance of 18 miles. A streak of lightning follows it as it is thrown. It a holy weapon, and is infused with the power of chaos. It is extra lethal to evil and lawful creatures. It emits a thunderous roar on a critical hit, and targets so struck are deafened. It can strike even incorporeal undead as if they were solid. If it slays an enemy, it may readily cleave through them and onto an adjacent foe. It can strike a target with a lightning bolt. Mjolnir can break any object. It is even speculated to be able to destroy artifacts, including the Crystal of the Ebon Flame. Mjolnir glows light blue to warn Thor of imminent nearby danger. Drawbacks Mjolnir is so heavy that the vast majority of creatures in the multiverse are not strong enough to wield it, even deities. Among those who can wield it are Thor, and Thor's son Magni, god of Strength, who will inherit the weapon after Ragnarok. Mjolnir causes severe injury to those who attempt to lift it. Thor's gauntlet Jarn Griper allows Mjolnir to be carried safely, even if when it glows red-hot. As a holy chaotic weapon, it weakens any evil or lawful creature who wields it. Destruction Mjolnir is a major artifact, and cannot by destroyed by normal means. History Creation Mjolnir was constructed long ago by the Midgard dwarves, although the Modrigswerg dwarves also claim this honor. For this single act, the dwarves and gnomes are hated by many of the giants of Jotunheim. Loki interfered with the production of the hammer, assuming the form of a fly and stinging the dwarven smith. As a result, its handle is shorter than it should be. Publication history Original D&D Mjolnir appears in Basic D&D AD&D 1st edition Mjolnir appears in . AD&D 2nd edition Mjolnir appears in . It is also detailed in , which lists both its OD&D and AD&D versions. It has an estimated GP value of 50,000 to 85,000. D&D 3rd edition Mjolnir appears in D&D 4th edition The Norse pantheon does not appear in D&D 4th edition. D&D 5th edition Thor's hammer is briefly mentioned, though not by name, in the description of the spell spiritual weapon, . Creative origins Thor's hammer Mjolnir appears in Norse mythology. It is variously written Mjollnir or Mjölnir. It makes several appearances in the stories of the Poetic Edda. It is central to the story of Thrymskvitha, in which Mjolnir is stolen by the giant Thrym, and Thor must disguise himself as the goddess Freya to retrieve it. It is also named in Hymiskvitha, in which Thor uses it to slay giants, and Vafthruthnismal, where it is prophecied to be inherited by Thor's sons Modi and Magni. Thor's hammer is mentioned in numerous other poems of the Poetic Edda, though not by name. Reception and influence Mjolnir is frequently noted by D&D players and publications as an example of one of the most powerful artifacts. For example, the , asks: : "How do you top the adventure where the fighter got the Hammer of Thor or some equally valuable item?" In , a letter is quoted from a player in an AD&D campaign where someone was able to acquire Mjolnir after killing Thor by pushing him off a sufficiently high wall. This story was referenced again in , an article on DMing mistakes. A game called Hammer of Thor was reviewed in . Mjolnir appears in numerous video games. In the D&D-inspired roguelike NetHack, the Valkyrie character class can receive Mjolnir as a quest reward. References Category:Magical weapons Category:Artifacts